Sawdust soap



FRANK W. RAICY, OF MODESTO, CALIFORNIA.

SAWDUS'I SOAP.

Ho Brewing.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, FRANK W. RAICY, citizen of the United'States, residing at Modesto, in the county of Stanislaus and State of (Jalifornia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Sawdust Soap, of which the following is a specification.

The invention relates to a soap and the method of producing the same.

it has long been recognized that sawdust or wood fiber when mixed with a detergent produces a highly satisfactory soap for the removing of grease, dirt, or the like, from the body of a person, as sawdust possesses a peculiar action on the dirt or the like, readily loosening orremoving the same. The use of sawdust soap, with all the advantages of sawdust, has been very unsatisfactory, and practically abolished, for the reason that when the sawdust is incorporated with the soap, air serves to rapidly decompose the same. It has been found that after a very brief period, wood fiber or sawdust that is incorporated in body or" soapy material decays or decomposes, which renders the soap entirely useless.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a sawdust soap and the method of making the same wherein the sawdust is protected in the body or" the soap against decomposition or the like for indefinite periods. With the foregoing conception in mind, the invention preferably comprises a soap containing sawdust or wood fiber particles which are enveloped or sealed from the air by an agent impervious to the air to prevent a decomposition of the sawdust after a period of standing.

The invention aims to provide a wood fiber or sawdust soap of a substantially solidified or solid nature containing inherent moisture or water which enables the soap when applied to the hand of the user and subjected to a slight friction or rubbing action to produce its own necessary moisture to facilitate a cleansing action eliminating the use of extraneous water which is necessary in the use of sawdust soaps of which i am at present aware. This manifestly enables the soap to be used at any time, and under any conditions where a source or" water is not present. To provide a sawdust soap containing inherent water or moisture, it is of course necessary to envelop or pro- Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 16', 1921.

Application filed February 2, 1920. Serial No. 355,670.

action of the air, and the present invention contemplates the surrounding or inclosure of such saturated fiber particles with an impervious fragile envelop.

The present soap contains the fine particles of sawdust or wood fiber and is substantially solid, or having the appearance of solid globules of soapy material, which globules and sawdust particles are thoroughly enveloped by a fragile coating of an impervious agent such as parafiin or the like, which is readily ruptured when the soap is applied to the hands of the user, releasing the somewhat liquid soapy substances, and also the absorbed moisture of the sawdust, which produces sufiicient water or moisture to enable a complete cleansing action to be accomplished without the application of extraneous water. These minute globules extend throughout the body of the soap and like the protecting covering for the wood fiber incorported with a soapy mixture, they are readily broken or ruptured when the soap is used, but remain intact in the body of soap for indefinite periods, if not subjected to a compressing or frictional action.

In carrying out the present invention to produce a soap, sawdust that is preferably out with the wood grain is thoroughly dried and mixed with a quantity of soap chips, water, salsoda and an impervious coating agent such as paraffin, beeswax, or the like, and subjected to a heat treatment or boiling action causing a homogeneous mixture of the entire mass. After being so treated, the mass. is then discharged into an agitator containing cold water or another liquid, and subjected to a stirring or agitating action. The subjection of the previously heated mass to the cold liquid in the agitator causes the protective agent such as the parafiin 0r beeswax which has been heated to congeal or'solidify, the agitation forming minute globules of soapy water being inclosed by the parawax, while the sawdust which is also saturated with soapy water is surrounded and completely protected from the air by a protective coating of parawax. The proper agitation of the mass apparently solidifies the same, the treated material taking the form of a soap that is to the eye solid, yet contains throughout its body many minute or small globules of soapy water and sawdust, all of which are covered by the protective coating of bartect the wood fiber from the detrimental dened parafiin, which will not rupture unhardened or congealed. The soap when in this form may be packed in cans, boxes or any preferred form of container, and will remain in its original state for indefinite periods, being as before stated to the eye, a solid or solidified compound, yet containing in itself such moisture as will enable the hands or the like to be thoroughly cleansed when the soap is applied thereto and subjected to a rubbing or frictional action which ruptures the fragile coatings of the soapy globules and the sawdust, producing the necessary moisture or water to insure such a cleansing action. This eliminates the use of extraneous water and likewise enables a sawdust soap to be employed wherein the. sawdust will neither decompose or lose its effective cleansing action by long standing which is the difliculty now encountered in the use of the sawdust soap of which I am now aware. It might be stated that when the soap is applied to the hands of the user the sawdust, after having its protective coating of parafiin destroyed, possesses the same aiiinity for dirt as the dried sawdust, servingto loosen and gather any and all dirt with which it encounters.

For producing the present product the following formula may be followed, but of' course this formula is only given for the purpose of illustrating the invention, and is subject to many variations with respect to the quantities of the different ingredients and the like.

Assuming that it is desired to produce approximately 13 pounds of the soap, about six pounds of dried sawdust, preferably cut with the grain of the wood, is mixed with one-half pound of soap chips, three ounces.

of paraffin, one-half pound of salsoda and three quarts of water. The mixture is then subjected to a heat treatment to bring the same to a boiling point which causes a thorough incorporation or homogeneous mixture of the different constituents of the soap, and after such boiling the entire mass is then introduced to a receiver containing an additional supply of approximately three quarts of water and thoroughly agitatedt The introduction of the heated mass to the receiver and the agitation of the same results in a hardening or congealing of the paraffin which serves to surround or coat minute particles of soapy water and sawdust which is also thoroughly saturated with soapy water or the like, so that after a determined agitation the entire mass takes the appearance of a solid; substance, which is then introduced to suitable containers for packihg. The substance, however, contains the inherent water, but such water is as before stated, thorougly surrounded with its soapy mixture by the paraflin while the sawdust is likewise surrounded b such a coating, and distributed substantially uniformly throughout the body of the soap.

I preferably employ a sawdust made from white sugar pine or white fir wood, as the same contains no detrimental rosin, and should also be cut with the grain so as to have no tendency to scratch the hands of.

the user when the soap is being employed. While I have disclosed as a protecting agent for the soa y globules and the sawdust particles, para or beeswax, it will be understood that other ingredients may be freely employed so long as they have the tendency of congealing or hardening when subjected to the cold water, and are of such a fragile nature as to be easily ruptured when the soap is used.

Having thus described the invention, what Iclaim is:

1. A. cleansing compound comprising a.

paste, containing particles of water saturated wood fiber, and protective fragile coatingsv surrounding said particles, a soap distributed in said paste, and soapy water globules incorporated in the paste and surrounded by fragile coatings, the quantity of water contained in the paste being sufficient to permit the paste to be used for a cleansing operation without employing extraneous water.

2. A cleansing compound, comprising a paste containing water saturated sawdust surrounded by fragile coatings impervious to air, a soap incorporated in said paste, the inherent water in the paste being sufficient to permit the paste to effect a cleansing operation without applying water from an extraneous source.-

3. A cleansing compound comprising a paste containing water saturated sawdust, and protective coatings of a fragile nature surrounding said sawdust particles, a soap incorporated in the paste, and soapy water globules distributed throughout the paste and surrounded b destructible. coatings impervious to air, or the purpose described.

4:. A cleansing compound comprising a paste containing water saturated sawdust, a soap incorporated in the paste, said paste having sufficient inherent water protected from evaporation by destructible coatings 

